Official Documents Contradict PNP Assertion that Woman at Center of Arms Intercept Walked Off Job

Nationwide News has obtained a copy of official documents contradicting a statement by the People’s National Party, and its Councillor Michael Troupe, that the woman allegedly implicated in the massive cache of intercepted arms from Florida, had stopped working for Troupe 3 months ago.

The PNP in a release issued four days ago said it was aware of uncorroborated information circulating on social media linking an individual to the recent gun find in Miami, and that person’s association with Councillor Michael Troupe of Granville Division of the St James Municipal Corporation.

The PNP said that it understood the person named as the consignor, or the sender is a former employee of Councillor Troupe.

The PNP statement also revealed it had been in touch with Councillor Troupe, who indicated that the person who is now the focus of the investigation left his employment some three months ago. That suggests she unceremoniously quit the job in September or October of this year.

However, official documents obtained by Nationwide News reveal that the name of the woman in question, Karima Hudson, was submitted on a list of names of persons to be paid by the St. James Municipal Corporation last month.

The cheque for the sum of $25,000 was collected on November 17, 2017. It was signed for by a K. Hudson.

The money was for work done under what the Corporation says is its Municipal Social Assistance Programme or Office Administration Support to its 17 Parish Council Divisions.

According to the official document, a Karima Hudson, was paid for providing office/administrative support to the Councillor for the Granville division – Mr. Troupe.

When our news team contacted Councilor Troupe this afternoon to ask him if the woman, in fact, walked off the job 3 months ago, as he had suggested last week, he refused to discuss the matter.

And in another development, Nationwide News can report that the woman listed as the intended receiver of the cache of arms, Monique Hastings, is in police custody at this hour.

Miss Hastings, accompanied by her attorney, Oswest Senior Smith, turned herself in to the Police today. Miss Hastings is of Falmouth, Trelawny.

Its understood that the shipment which was seized by US law enforcement at Miami International Airport in Florida, on November 13, was sent to a Monique Hastings. The sender of the shipment was listed as Karima Hudson of Coral Springs, Pompano Beach also in Florida.

National Security Minister Robert Montague confirmed with Nationwide News this morning that the 2 barrels were never collected after three weeks at the Queens warehouse in Montego Bay.

The barrels were repacked without the cache of arms and sent onto Jamaica under surveillance. The authorities were hoping to nab those who were expected to claim them. They never showed up after 3 weeks.

Today, the named receiver of the 2 barrels, Monique Hastings, turned herself into the police for questioning.

Miss Hastings’s lawyer, Oswest Senior Smith, spoke with our News Centre this afternoon. He says she voluntarily submitted herself for questioning by the Police and is now being processed.

He says he’s not certain if charges will be laid against his client as she remains in police custody.

The person who shipped the barrel got suspicious and alerted the consignee once it was not delivered within a given time. It was supposed to be shipped via Caribbean Airlines. Law enforcement confiscated it and repackaged it delaying the shipment. The damage was already done when the barrel arrived at the airport.